Last week when I took Stan to the vet for is usual regular check up it was discovered that he has a heart murmur. Grade 4.5 out of a 6. With 6 being the loudest.

Our vet recommended that we take Stan to the kitty cardiologist to have him further checked. Let me say how much I love our vet and am so glad I found her after moving here!!

Some murmurs can be nothing and something cats can live with for a long time. Or they can mean the beginning of heart disease. Of course when she says this, all I heard coming out of her mouth was heart disease and I was freaking out.

Oh no! My baby Stan who is only 2 years old!!

To make a long story short, tomorrow morning (Tuesday) I will take him to the kitty cardiologist who will take his blood pressure and give him a mini kitty echocardiogram. The good news is they don't have to put him under when they do this and I can be with him the whole time. I am a nervous wreck about it because tomorrow I will find out if this is something Stan will just live with or if this is a progressive disease that we will have to do our best to slow down however we can.

When I look at him running around like his usual crazy self and getting into mischief I can't help but think this has to be something he was born with and something he'll live with for a long time. He is not acting like a sick cat in any way. My Dad's cat lived to be 21 with a heart murmur! I even have a heart murmur too! This can NOT be heart disease, it just wouldn't make any sense, my Stanley is supposed to be around for a long time!.

I'll be Twittering tomorrow about it as I get news so Paul and my Mom can get updates. Every day is precious with your fur babies! Give them kisses whenever you can!!

I'm praying for you and Stanley. I lost my last two cats this year at 19 years of age. It's been a long, painful year. But I just picked up my new baby on Saturday and just had to give him a kitty bath for accidentally taking one in the toilet! YUK! Life is exciting again! I will be waiting for the update on Stanley.

Oh HUGS! It is so hard to hear this kind of news about our furry family members. I'm thinking of you and hope for the best (my Dad and sister have murmurs, too -- and my sister played college basketball for a short while -- anything is possible). So, here's to you and your baby -- may it be a simple heart murmur and may he live a looooooooong life!

So sorry to hear about this, but glad to know that Stan is not feeling the affects. Miss Beula sends her best regards too. Looking forward to hearing what happens and sending my thoughts and prayers for good news.

OH, Claudine - I will be praying that all things come out well. Fingers crossed. I know how heard it was on you the last time you lost a baby. But we are focusing on the positive. Will be checking your twitter.

Almost 2 years ago, I sat in my vet's office and heard the same news about my 8.5 year old Maltese. And yes, all you do is focus on that phrase "heart disease". Zuzu is on heart medication and at this year's follow-up heart visit, her echocardiogram showed remarkable improvement and her murmur was downgraded to a 2 out of 6. I hope you and Stanley have happy news tomorrow and he goes on to live a very long and healthy life!

Our little chunky monkey EV was born with a murmur, it was quite bad when we rescued her and we were told that they weren't sure how long she would make it, maybe siz months maybe sixteen years. She is five now and the murmur has gotten much better as she has matured.I will be thinking of sweet Stan as he is being assessed!!! Hope everything goes well, and give him lots of snuggles! (like he doesn't get enough already, LOL!)B-

I hope everything goes well with your kitty. One of my boxers has a heart murmur and we did an echo cardiogram earlier this year. It revealed a heart disease, there is nothing we can do but keep an eye on her. It was so hard to hear but good to have answers. Now we just make sure to spend all the time we can with our dogs. I just wanted to share I know the anxiety you are feeling..Take Care,Danielle

I just read your latest twitter update about Stanley. So sorry to hear about his heart condition. I pray that he responds well to the medication. Thank God there is medicine to help him and that he's got such good parents to take care of him.

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